Can I Text My References? - Of Course!

• Adults 18-24 years old send and receive over 128 texts every day.

• Adults 25-34 years old send and receive over 75 texts every day.

• Adults 35-44 years old send and receive over 52 texts every day.

• Adults 45-54 years old send and receive over 33 texts every day.

Over the years, we have spoken to Human Resource professionals and Volunteer Coordinators that have stated that reference checking is one of, if not the most laborious aspect of their jobs.  In fact, there many companies that have discontinued reference checking due to multiple reasons (none of which are valid reasons based on best practices).  The reason that continues to be a front runner is:  Time

• “All I do I is leave voicemails”.

• “I cannot get the reference to call me back”.

• “I sent them an email”.

The problem is not the concept of reference checking; it is the method.  Technology has advanced in the communication world in such a way that it is virtually impossible for someone not to know who is trying to contact them using any mode e.g. telephone, email, text.

If you are working at your job and the phone rings, are you going to answer if it is not a familiar number?  My guess- No.

If you are working at your job and an email notification pops up from an unfamiliar email address, are you going to stop what you are doing to open it, let alone respond?  My guess is- No. At best you will file it away among the other 350  “nonurgent” emails that you received that day.  The average employee receives over 121 emails each day. http://www.hrdive.com/news/remote-workers-are-missing-the-memo-study-says/503255/

That leaves the last option:  Text

Looking at the texting statistics above tell the story. Nearly 90% of Americans have cell phones with 77% of that 90% owning a smartphone.  http://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2017/01/12/evolution-of-technology/

General conclusion: Everyone has a cell phone and everyone texts. Texting takes place at work, for work, on the commute, at home, at school, at soccer games, at lunch, on breaks, etc.

If I want to communicate with my kids, I send a text; I text my wife for a grocery list;  I text my mom the address to a soccer game; text a picture to my college buddies.  What do these activities have in common?  None of these are business-related activities . . . but wait!  I had a client last week ask me to, “Shoot me over your contact information to my cell.”  My wife, a Certified Real Estate Appraiser, communicates all day via text with her management companies and clients www.accurateappraisalsin.com .

Texting is:

• Immediate

• Short

• Effective

• Efficient

Technology allows texting from multiple platforms; thereby, shifting the acceptable business communication methods paradigm.  For example:

Canvas https://gocanvas.io/ - a revolutionary recruiting platform that utilizes texting to candidates.  

Reflynk www.reflynk.com - a revolutionary automated reference checking platform that utilizes mobile text and/or email to conduct reference checks.

SafeVisitor Solutions  www.safevisitorsolutions.com - a comprehensive visitor management platform that has multiple features that will notify using mobile texting.

So, can I Text My References? YES! if you want to get results. Fish where the Fish are as Communicate How the World Communicates.  

What is the Cost of a Reference Check?

What seems to be a simple question, can actually be very difficult and complex to answer. Are you asking . . .

●     what is the price of a reference check?

●     what is a reference check worth?

●     what is the value of a reference check?

●     what is the cost of a reference check?

This is where it gets tricky and will test your patience as you ferret out what the actual question is asking.  Let’s start with definitions:

●     price - the amount of money required to purchase something

●     worth - an expected selling price of a good or service over time

●     value - the usefulness or desirability of a good or service

●     cost - an amount of ??? that has to be given up in order to get something

Price vs Cost:  Price might or might not equal Cost depending on viewpoint.

For example:

“What is the price of a reference check?”  The asker is wanting an answer in $$$$.

“What is the cost of a reference check?”  The asker could be wanting to know a $$$ amount or the cumulative “cost” which involves the total time spent performing the check, the cost of the method used, etc.  

Value vs Worth:  Likewise, Value might or might not equal Worth depending on the viewpoint of the asker.

“What is the value of a reference check?”  This question can have many interpretations.  Rarely would or should this question be answered using a $$$ amount; rather, this question needs to be answered with a detailed explanation of the advantages vs. the disadvantages of performing a reference check.  After determining the specifics of the information desired in the reference check, a Value Cost in $$$ can be derived.

“What is a reference check worth?   Again, similar to using Value, this question can be very complex based on the information provided or the information already known.  Worth is normally measured over time,  http://humancond.org/analysis/economics/price_vs_worth_vs_value  therefore, the time is an element of consideration. A $$$ amount can be assigned to Worth, but only after calculations are analyzed over time, based on numerous business factors across multiple segments.

Looking back, the question of “What is the Price of a Reference Check?” can be as simple or as complex as the situation dictates. In most instances the asker may not know the many components that go into determining the correct answer. They are simply wanting a quick $$$ amount. 

At a glance, the questions below . . .

●     What is the price of a reference check?

●     What is a reference check worth?

●     What is the value of a reference check?

●     What is the cost of a reference check?

all seem to be asking the same thing, but in reality, they are four completely different questions with four completely different answers.

Learn how RefLynk can automate your Reference Checks

Have You Lost Confidence in Reference Checks?

There is a growing trend in the U.S. to abandon reference checks as part of the recruiting process because they are time consuming, labor-intensive and often elicit very little information on the telephone.

This is alarming on a number of levels.  First, 80% of sexual predators in the U.S. do NOT have a criminal history.  That's correct.  Why?  I could spend 100 pages explaining this but simply put, we as a culture do a very poor job generating trust from victims to report these violent crimes and the criminal justice systems does an even worse job of prosecuting these predators.

So if you are trying to keep sexual predators out of your organization, a criminal background check alone will not work.  

The great news is there is new option for conducting high quality reference checks quickly, automated and inexpensively. RefLynk is the only automated reference checking software that can also send invitations to your candidates and their references via text.

Would you be shocked to find out that reference checks could cost you pennies per candidate?

Watch this 30 second overview:

Join us for an upcoming webinar:  https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/3593856382658799363

Or Contact Us for more information